Beckinsale powers to race victory

NOOSA endurance wonder woman Kim Beckinsale proved her superiority when she swamped the opposition in Sunday’s first race of the Anaconda Adventure Race national series on the Gold Coast.

Not that Beckinsale, 43, is new to triumphing in tough conditions – she is a three-time winner of the Pomona King of the Mountain run and a seasoned triathlon competitor.

Beckinsale, a Sunshine Beach State School teacher, started in triathlons in the mid-1990s but has been hooked on adventure races since her first taste in 2001.

“Every race is a new challenge. It took me a couple of years to get used to the mountain bike and sea paddling,” she said.

“I also have a greater appreciation of what conditions nature can throw at you.”

On Sunday she finished the punishing 50km event in five hours and nine seconds, 20 minutes ahead of Joanna Fisher from Western Australia, with Victoria’s Peri Gray another 18 minutes behind in third.

Beckinsale is the reigning Anaconda champion and was race favourite at the start at the Gold Coast’s Palm Beach Parklands. However, she had to battle an injured shoulder, which popped out on several times on the swim and the board paddle legs.

She emerged from the 1.9km swim 50 seconds behind Gray but overhauled her and gained more than two minutes on her pursuers over the 15km kayak leg in choppy offshore conditions.

As persistent rain added to the competitors’ hardship, Beckinsale powered up the Tallebudgera Creek bush trail on the 12.5km run, all the while increasing her lead.

With the steep and slippery mountain bike track along the Queensland-New South Wales border completed without mishap, Beckinsale said she welcomed the sight of the finish line at the end of the beach run.

“You have to be mentally tough to do well. My endurance experience holds me in good stead for these races,” she said.

“I’ll be back to the physio this week to work on the shoulder and get it right for the next race.”

More than 450 entrants tackled the survival course as individuals or in teams, including ironman and triathlon legends Guy Leech and Brad Bevan, who won their team section.

Race two of the series will be held at Augusta in the Margaret River region of Western Australia on November 7, before the final race in Lorne, Victoria, on December 5.